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Does sex belong in video games?

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Tits and ass are incredibly prevalent in modern society. Sex is used to sell products in advertising, actors are shamefully primped into digitally crafted sex symbols and TV shows like Toddlers in Tiaras, stretch the definition of acceptable television viewing. Sex is everywhere, but oddly, not in our games.

With the recent pulling of No Reply Games' sex focused, interactive story 'game' “Seduce Me” from Valve's Greenlight service due to breaking of the terms and conditions – for being an “offensive” title – sex is back in the headlines of gaming websites the world over, all of them asking the question, “does sex belong in video games?”

It could be argued that games purely focused around sex are pornographic in nature and therefore warrant some sort of segmentation perhaps, in the way it is with websites and traditionally with stores that cater specifically to it.

But what about games that just feature sex as a feature or component of the overall experience?

Every time a popular title attempts to put anything sex like in its games that goes beyond a fade to black and some grunts, there's a problem. Look at GTA: San Andreas' Hot Coffee mod, or the blue side boob that appeared for a brief second in Mass Effect 2. It all gets blown out of proportion, people that haven't even played the game or seen footage of the event start screaming “save the children,” and to some it seems as if the world is going to end.

Of course it never does and children are as corrupted as their parents allow them to be. These games have age ratings for a reason and if parents choose to ignore them it's their responsibility to set it right, or at least explain things to their kids so they understand and learn about the adult activity in a constructive way.

But should it be there in the first place? Well the obvious answer would be yes, for a variety of reasons.

1: Taking into consideration the age ratings I mentioned earlier, the average gamer is in their 30s at this point. Not only have they had sex, they've been living with internet pornography for over 15 years. Believe me, unless you're doing a game adaptation of The Serbian Film, this is nothing we haven't seen before.

2: Unless it's Manhunt, where ritualistic killing was censored because... it's the game the lobby groups decided to go after, murder barely raises an eyebrow from anyone. Killing is rampant in games. Just look at the fast Paragon leveller in Diablo III. He's killed almost two million monsters alone. If he can commit mass murder, why can't a game have a sex scene in it?

3: Sex is a part of life. For anyone that doesn't know, it's how babies are made. Shocking I know, but we all began our life at a moment of parental coitus and society is slowly beginning to lose the taboo. It's still there – and enjoyed by many – but the simple fact is that sex shouldn't be considered a naughty thing any more. It's in films, in advertising, television and there is absolutely no reason it shouldn't be in our games.

However, despite these very obvious reasons that sex should be included in games and accepted by the public as a simple part of the artistic medium, the blame isn't entirely on the shoulders of complainers. Game developers could also help the cause out.

Despite the criticism for its leud content, Mass Effect actually has an incredibly impressive and deeply emotional erotic part to it but it is a rarity. More often than not, we get adventurers fucking hookers, or silly quick time sex games or button mashing to fuck harder. This isn't the type of thing that detractors of sexual content in gaming are going to agree with, probably ever.

No I'm not saying that because lobbyists and complainers have stale sex lives that games should be the same, but there isn't a reason that sex can't be used as an emotional connector between characters either.

Games focused around getting the clothes off of a digital woman should be just as allowed to exist in our gaming spheres as the latest AAA blockbuster, but they don't further the cause of sex in video games as much as they could.

Not only do I believe that sex deserves to be a part of gaming, I think it deserves to have more credit as a part of the emotional story within a game. It doesn't need to be your character just getting his rocks off, or a nudge-nudge-wink-wink from the developers saying “we know what you gamers want, digital titties,” but a real way for players to connect with a character.

We talked a few weeks about about how Lara Croft's surviving of an attempted rape could be used to delve into all sorts of new character emotions within a game. How about include a sex scene in that game not long after the rape and make it optional. Have it so that players can decide. If she goes along with it, perhaps Lara is emotionally distracted and merely trying to forget a horrific experience, thereby not building a relationship with the male counterpart. Perhaps if she says no, players can learn something about his character.

Sex is a massive motivator in human life and it should be used in games as well, not just as a treat or a laughable aside, but a real part of the gameplay. It can be part of the story and part of the world the developers create.

It doesn't always have to be, just as not every single racing game has to be a sim like experience, but just now and again I'd like to see some real effort put into sex.

Comments

No no no. We should NOT have stuff like that in our video games. If we already have it in movies, shows, and online and other things, why would we also want it in games. Games are pretty much the only thing we have to get away from it all. Besides, video game designers probably won't feel comfortable. It's just absurd and despicable to even think like that. There are such things as kids you know. Especially teenagers...Women with big boobs and butts are enough, but sex? No! Honestly, what's wrong with this world. Women are already the main ones being targeted for this. I am a girl and I'm deeply offended.

Why is every one hating on sex in games? I bet a 10 year old can play a game like Manhunt or Prototype, but no one would give 2 shits. But one, even almost exposed piece of body, the whole world goes bat shit insane? Sure, I can understand if it's a game like Ride to Hell, but I can't understand if it's a game like Mass Effect. Get over it if your mind isn't accustomed to seeing something so normal.
P.S. Over sexualized characters are just games that are sold to pubescent teenagers, but stop acting like that's in every MMORPG.

It should never have to come to that. We should be happy with what we have. Almost everywhere we look we see sexual things and it shouldn't be that way. This generation is so corrupted. People in the earlier generations didn't just say," you know what? Let's put the most sexual things on our first video game" no sweetie. They were happy. Why can't we be like that now?

As soon as you (author) derided people for critiquing games based on sex, namely parents, I knew you were pro-sex in games. You need to understand, it's not just kids that need to be protected. Adult female gamers don't need the constant barrage of hypersexualized female characters because it harms self-esteem. Not just in girls but adults too. It gets stupid when people say if you don't like don't play because we want to play games we just don't want to be treated like dirt while male gamers enjoy all the entitlements and luxuries afforded to them.
The problem with sex in games is the hypersexualization and objectification of solely female characters, or mostly female characters. There is a great imbalance. If things were balanced out, males and females treated the same, shrugs... I wouldn't care. It's the fact that I feel female characters are usually the sexualized ones that bothers me the most. Worse, sometimes there is violence toward female characters who are hypersexualized and that is horrible. I won't buy those games.

Hi Alison,
First off, apologies for the lack of paragraph separation, I don't think I can do that on this site in a comment.
While I appreciate your comments about hypersexualized female characters -- and won't argue in the least with you, I think it's unfair to punish games specifically for that. (ironically I'm reading this article with two giant advertisements for League of Angels on the page -- including a hypersexualized female character).
Let me explain: pick any set of 50 hollywood blockbusters that are rated R. Now count the number of times we see an actress in her underwear, a bikini shot, showing excessive cleavage, or topless. Repeat the exercise for male characters. Do you get the same score out of 50 for male versus female? If we talk about hypersexualized female characters, they are prevalent in all forms of media.
Video games happen to be the new kid on the block and make an easy target because the rules have not been fully established yet. Sure, it might be nice to do video games "the right way" the first time around (though it's already too late for that). But is it fair to game developers to force a code of ethics on them that doesn't exist in other forms of media? Also, why is there a problem with a side boob shot in a video game in which genocide is the goal, and yet twerking is allowed to sell warez in other forms of media?
I'm an adult, and I would like to be able to choose games that have adult themes that go beyond genocide. Why is that choice taken away from me?
As for you not buying games where the characters are hypersexualized and violence is directed towards them: that's great. You're voting with your wallet which is exactly what you should be doing. If there is sufficient impact to the game developers, then not all will choose that route and certain themes will become a niche product.
...but niche and censored / banned are two extremely different things. Please don't choose for me, and I will not choose for you. If you feel that there are not enough games that meet your criteria, then I ask you this: If there aren't enough customers requesting a certain product, why should a game developer "take one for the team" and produce it? If there are enough people demanding the product, then some game developers should -- and would -- develop them and everyone's happy. They make money, you play their games, I still get to choose to play those games or others.
I find that certain movies like Final Destination and Saw make almost a pornography out of death and torture. Their whole raison d'etre is to show mutilation in as gruesome ways as possible because their viewers get off on it somehow. There's a market for movies like that -- that doesn't include me -- and they're welcome to continue making them. I won't stop them, but I won't pay for them either.
You know, when the game Catherine came out, I ran out to buy it. The thought of a game that tried to treat certain adult themes was something that I thought should be lauded. I voted with my wallet, sight unseen, in that I want to have more choices like that so I bought the game without reading much about its gameplay. Sadly it's centered around a rather boring puzzle and I didn't make it through (yet), but I made my choice and would do it again just to diversify games.
Don't get me wrong, I like frag-fests too (read: first person shooters), but one can get a little numb to them after a while and want a little variety.

Only a very small percentage of games have sex, about as small of a percentage as comic books that have sex. It's really a non-issue, if you don't want a game that has sex, play something else. It's like complaining that you don't like hot dogs, if you don't like hot dogs don't eat them, don't tell me not to eat them. You live your life and I'll live mine.

No, your hot dogs analogy is wrong. A hot dog is an entire object. Saying "I don't like hot dogs" is like saying "I don't like games about sex."
Saying "I don't like sex in games" is like saying "I don't like mushrooms on my pizza." However, unlike your pizza where you can order it without mushrooms, you can't do that with games. You either get the whole pizza, with all its toppings, or you are left to figure out what else you want to eat even though you were craving a supreme pizza (without the mushrooms).

"unlike your pizza where you can order it without mushrooms, you can't do that with games."
Actually you can. I'm not sure if you've heard of them but in games there tend to be "options" or "choices". If you buy a game with sex in it it's not likely to be a mandatory thing, to keep with your metaphor "you can take the mushrooms off" there are also "genres" with different types of games. And sex isn't likely to be in every genre.

Why can't we just have good old games? Just playing through a story. Why must they add actual sexual things? Don't most people get enough of it in their private bedrooms or on the internet, or in the media? Why must sex infect everything.
It isn't the golden age of games anymore, that's for certain.

You make it seem like there's a problem with how video games portray women because god-forbid there's a little bit of flesh showing. You forget to mention that almost 100% of video games have at least one half-naked man who's shirtless and looks like he's on steroids. And guess what, nobody gives a shit. Why should they? It's just a video game. So why should anyone care about your rant.

Oh i get it
Women are jealous of the babes from games who are better looking and available and they fear that guys won't need their sorry real asses anymore because the babes from gaming are stealing their men hahaha
i bet that's it :D

Shut the hell up! I could say things a lot worse but I won't. Men like that or like you have no lives!!! They can't get women. I bet you're a fat man eating nachos or a hotdog looking at a bunch of porn right now. So honey, get you're own life and speak for you're own ass!!! Oh, and make sure you find Jesus. You really need Him. Piece of shit.

If you can kill , steal , destroy in games why the heck shouldn't you be able to watch nude bodies , have sex , rape or get raped ?
People who claim otherwise are hypocrites and ridiculous and i think these self proclaimed women of gaming should learn how to talk and behave before attempting to judge the games world
It's not respectful to shout like you do it in reality to your husband/boyfriend etc
Adjust yourselves to the gaming world , understand it and then demand things
I for one am for full content and of course with the proper rating because i'm sick and tired of dumbed down and censored games that have no taste because the adult part is removed

I have a problem with what you stated, because nowhere in the article does he state that WOMEN in the gaming industry are the reason as to why their is no meaningful sex in games. He does an I quote say that the reason is due to "lobbyist" and "complainers" Your comment bugs me because I am a woman and a gamer and I would not b bothered by sex in games. So before you go grouping us women all together maybe you should get your facts straight!

If you can kill , steal , destroy in games why the heck shouldn't you be able to watch nude bodies , have sex , rape or get raped ?
People who claim otherwise are hypocrites and ridiculous and i think these self proclaimed women of gaming should learn how to talk and behave before attempting to judge the games world
It's not respectful to shout like you do it in reality to your husband/boyfriend etc
Adjust yourselves to the gaming world , understand it and then demand things
I for one am for full content and of course with the proper rating because i'm sick and tired of dumbed down and censored games that have no taste because the adult part is removed

If you can kill , steal , destroy in games why the heck shouldn't you be able to watch nude bodies , have sex , rape or get raped ?
People who claim otherwise are hypocrites and ridiculous and i think these self proclaimed women of gaming should learn how to talk and behave before attempting to judge the games world
It's not respectful to shout like you do it in reality to your husband/boyfriend etc
Adjust yourselves to the gaming world , understand it and then demand things
I for one am for full content and of course with the proper rating because i'm sick and tired of dumbed down and censored games that have no taste because the adult part is removed

I just caught your comment about possibly having Lara prevent (or not) herself from being raped. You went from dumb to just a plain f'ing ahole. It's not about the games anymore, YOU, THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND YOU ARE FLAT OUT A PIECE OF CRAP. FLAT OUT PIECE OF CRAP. Go tell any female in your life your idea, you p.o.s. I PRAY you get raped one day. I PRAY IT.

As a 20-year female gamer vet, I prefer not to have tits and ass thrown in my face. I'm sure it's great if you're a loser who doesn't have any interaction with women so game porn and the internet are your girlfriends, but it's flat pathetic. I like that video games are an escape from the CONSTANT SALE OF SEX AND ANYTHING RELATED TO SEX EVERYWHERE I GO INCLUDING THE DAMN GROCERY STORE. I loved God of War until GoW2 asked me to push X, triangle, O, whatever else to simulate sex with fake f'ing women. It's not about "sex is in real life", IT'S PATHETIC AND IT PORTRAYS MEN AS EVEN MORE PATHETIC THAT THEY HAVE TO DRAW FAKE WOMEN TO HAVE SEX WITH. If you need to jerk one out before you play so you can pay attention, do it. Don't make female gamers pay for your perversions just because you can't get laid. Men aren't the only ones playing. If you want to have a sex game, make it a sex game, don't advertise it as action/adventure or role playing or ANYTHING ELSE and the throw some pathetic fake programmed female in there for your equally pathetic character to hump. Buncha pervs, leave the games alone and get a girlfriend.

I would just like to say in 32 year old man who is engaged to a very beautiful woman. I've been previously married and I have kids. I say all that to say there is nothingperverted about me.Sure I don't think sex should automatically be included I think it should be optional for the players. For example mass effect allowed you to be either gender and any orientation, and you didn't have to pursue a romance . I prefer they keep it heterosexual. I don't see anything wrong with it and the article said it in movies where you have no option but to see it. If the maturity is 18 and beyond then there's no reason kids should see it and its described what kind of content is in it.it is a welcome part of the game for me and they could actually do more for example the hot coffee mod should be standard in games I think, if it's marketed towards adults.

Finally someone talking sence I liked the tomb raider idear they could even have a wedding but if developers dident want the partner to remain no reason to put in some Venice overlord to kill them off like poor a lister though that wasn't any Venice phycos I know one point I have to make is sex on digital charactors ain't as bad as some real TV stuff either so mums could lie if there kids somehow saw something easy oh the remaking cakes together ect thought sexual organs might be hard toexplain if games japan based we get sad sad censorship but I understand why still shameful but also project zero could have had goast sex IMO and itsuki well if the age thing ain't to wired never checked there ages of the charactors but not to bad seeing as it's drawings not real law based I can go on but for now I just fully agree with this now my hands are acheing so good post later keep it real peace actually one more thing they should allow choice sex do it when ever no matter the mood of either chactors like sims lame I surpase even forced can be an option but I think some may disagree with that completely only for the strong hearted who don't give a toss a games a game real is real if you know wrong and right in life and gaming and can tell the difference fine who knows maybe it'll lessen some real crimes if it can be done in game graphically and any type style pregnancy in game meat puppet it might stop many assaults though some sick f**ks can't be changed saved huh but that kind of game could open some doors and even increase story lines even more bigger longer games more money made better sales and even more voice actors I meen they opened doors to porn industry once by hireling sasha grey I think her name was for Saints row3 the voice of viola anyway I'll leave it at that enjoy reading anyone sorry if it seems offensive to anyone but I wanted the right to voice my opinions freely

Finally someone talking sence I liked the tomb raider idear they could even have a wedding but if developers dident want the partner to remain no reason to put in some Venice overlord to kill them off like poor a lister though that wasn't any Venice phycos I know one point I have to make is sex on digital charactors ain't as bad as some real TV stuff either so mums could lie if there kids somehow saw something easy oh the remaking cakes together ect thought sexual organs might be hard toexplain if games japan based we get sad sad censorship but I understand why still shameful but also project zero could have had goast sex IMO and itsuki well if the age thing ain't to wired never checked there ages of the charactors but not to bad seeing as it's drawings not real law based I can go on but for now I just fully agree with this now my hands are acheing so good post later keep it real peace actually one more thing they should allow choice sex do it when ever no matter the mood of either chactors like sims lame I surpase even forced can be an option but I think some may disagree with that completely only for the strong hearted who don't give a toss a games a game real is real if you know wrong and right in life and gaming and can tell the difference fine who knows maybe it'll lessen some real crimes if it can be done in game graphically and any type style pregnancy in game meat puppet it might stop many assaults though some sick f**ks can't be changed saved huh but that kind of game could open some doors and even increase story lines even more bigger longer games more money made better sales and even more voice actors I meen they opened doors to porn industry once by hireling sasha grey I think her name was for Saints row3 the voice of viola anyway I'll leave it at that enjoy reading anyone sorry if it seems offensive to anyone but I wanted the right to voice my opinions freely

Finally someone talking sence I liked the tomb raider idear they could even have a wedding but if developers dident want the partner to remain no reason to put in some Venice overlord to kill them off like poor a lister though that wasn't any Venice phycos I know one point I have to make is sex on digital charactors ain't as bad as some real TV stuff either so mums could lie if there kids somehow saw something easy oh the remaking cakes together ect thought sexual organs might be hard toexplain if games japan based we get sad sad censorship but I understand why still shameful but also project zero could have had goast sex IMO and itsuki well if the age thing ain't to wired never checked there ages of the charactors but not to bad seeing as it's drawings not real law based I can go on but for now I just fully agree with this now my hands are acheing so good post later keep it real peace actually one more thing they should allow choice sex do it when ever no matter the mood of either chactors like sims lame I surpase even forced can be an option but I think some may disagree with that completely only for the strong hearted who don't give a toss a games a game real is real if you know wrong and right in life and gaming and can tell the difference fine who knows maybe it'll lessen some real crimes if it can be done in game graphically and any type style pregnancy in game meat puppet it might stop many assaults though some sick f**ks can't be changed saved huh but that kind of game could open some doors and even increase story lines even more bigger longer games more money made better sales and even more voice actors I meen they opened doors to porn industry once by hireling sasha grey I think her name was for Saints row3 the voice of viola anyway I'll leave it at that enjoy reading anyone sorry if it seems offensive to anyone but I wanted the right to voice my opinions freely

...but only if it relies on the storyline of the game (like in Far Cry 3). I would not prefer senseless rape or sex scenes that are not hooked or part of the main story (Pyramid Head raping Mannequins in Silent Hill 2). If it is love or just physical force of attraction, let it be (Mass Effect). But even if you just can do it for fun and to relax from the story, it is fine, too (GTA V).
There is something in this world I don't understand, it doesn't matter how hard I try. Porn is for adults... Blood, Violence and Gore is for adults. So why is it, that there are lots of totally brutal and bloody splatter movies on this planet, where people get ripped apart or ther guts are spread all over the floor... but the maximum of nudity you see are some nipples, or some bush. It is extremely rare to see pussies in Hollywood Movies. Why is nobody out there, that have the guts to do an adult movie that contains both?
Same with games... The maximum brutality is shown in some (index) games... but nudity, sex or porn are totally rare. Why is that? For example: A game like Dark Age of Conan... that time was very hard, rough, bloody, brutal and forced sex were a daily happening. But there are no MMORPGs out there, where you can fuck or rape other players. And I think it will never happen.
If it influences the game in a positive way, sure...put Sex in it. If it is part of the story, okay.

Yes, sex is a natural part of life and if that's how game developers would actually portray it, I'd be totally fine with some sex scenes added to video games. However that is just not at all how it is. There would be sex scenes simply to show naked girls. (as a trophy to the player/main character). Maybe there would be made games with sex scenes actually making sense, but that would be like 3% of it. SO, I say no to sex in games until media (and HUMANITY) stops treating it like [stated above]

I DO NOT want to see sexual content as prevalent as it is in TV shows that will proudly show off at least 3 sex scenes, only one of which was questionably relevant. However, sex isn't something that should really be averted or embraced. I'm fine if it's used appropriately, but I don't want to see some guy's naked ass with a girl wrapped around him in the opening cutscene unless the game I'm playing is Saint's Row or a game just as silly.

So let me get this strait, all the sex in movies and TV, doesn't make people that watch it perverts, but if it's in a video game it does?
I have a girlfriend that I live with, and love very deeply, a 5 year old son, and am an adult, I'm not a pervert, I don't go around trying to look up skirts, or seek out sex in ANY media of ANY type, but I don't run and hide if there is sex or nudity. It's part of life. I'm sorry that you put religion over everything else in life (this type of comment usually comes from religious zealots), but don't tell me how I should live my life, or that I'm a perv just because I'm not offended by sex, nor does it make me, or any else, in your oh so enlightened terms, a homo. If you don;t like the games that have sex or nudity in them, I have the perfect solution, DON'T PLAY THEM!!!!! If you don't want your child seeing it, BE A PARENT!!! Don't blame video games for all the problems some children have, and I personally am sick of people, I'm guessing. like you, who feel that just because you don't like it, or think it's wrong in your eyes, think that they should be able to tell me, an adult, what I should and shouldn't be able to buy or play. People going around trying to get games pulled off shelves, or banned and not be allowed to be bought, telling the world that they should their lives by YOUR STANDARDS AND BELIEFS!!! I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions, I don't need you, or anyone else telling how I should live my life, and I shouldn't be called a perv, a homo, or sick, or anything else you and your church mom groups want to gamers.

I also wanted to comment on the loser statement.
I'm a truck driver, and I make over $125,000 a year, and I have friends that work in finance that make over $200,000, and we all game together, so how are we all losers? Could you explain that one to me? because I'm a bit confused on that one as well.

sex should be allowed for those who wants it.not making games being porn.As long as there is restrictions,like some poeple don't like violence,so they play non violent games,there should always be a choice to not have to play games with sex if not wanted.

Sex should DEFINITELY be in games. I, like so many others< grow tired of the "fade to black" and camera panning crap that usually signifies that the characters are fucking.
We are old enough to know what they're doing, we've done it ourselves several times. If games can include mindless violence and very explicit gory death sequences, then sex should be allowed.
I remember back when GTA San Andreas was made, and the goody-goody TWATS said it was terrible because you could pay a prostitute for sex, then kill her and take the money back. They thought this would cause people (especially teenagers) to go out and do it...but did they...? NO! If they were going to do it, they would anyway, despite playing the game.
Sex is already a part of several video games, the most obvious one being a little gem called Singles. This SIMS-style game has one goal, you get your two housemates to form a relationship AND have sex. There's full nudity, sexual activity and even the ability to have male or female homosexxual couples.
Sex and violence in games doesnt change people's behaviour or attitude towards it...in fact, it barely affects us. We know its not REAL.
If they put sex in games, all that will happen is those games will be more popular...for a time.

Only a very small percentage of games have sex, about as small of a percentage as comic books that have sex. It's really a non-issue, if you don't want a game that has sex, play something else. It's like complaining that you don't like hot dogs, if you don't like hot dogs don't eat them, don't tell me not to eat them. You live your life and I'll live mine.

Sex in videogames is pointless and stupid. Nothing kills the mood of me playing a game then having to play an interactive button prompt sex mini games. Any human being who actually has a sex life finds these things dull.
Only Virgins and nerds obsess over it "being a part of nature" and so on to support the fact that they cant get any elsewhere.
Sex in games doesn't drive the story anywhere. Any person playing a game that has sex in it has an IQ high enough to know where babies come from and can figure out that the characters had sex without having to spend 5 mins watching some crappy cgi scene.

"Only virgins and nerds" huh. Is that all you can come up with? Things now-a-days are different but I still see you live in the 70's with your stereotypical close minded brain.
Well then here is one for you. Taking your advice. You yourself must be a virgin and a nerd for you are A: Playing a video game. B: On a PC. C: Are on the internet. Bare in mind all these are considered for losers, virgins and nerds.
How do you like them apples? Welcome to the club you pimple faced nerd. Love how logic can come back and bite you back in return.